New labour reforms - will they create more jobs?

[Solwriter]

Originally Posted by Pesky Wesky

I'm not to sure about what you have written Solwriter.

Education
Yes, it's difficult for young qualified people to get work, but I think it's difficult for any young people to get work (or indeed anyone). It's not a bad idea to encourage foreign students to come here, but I don't know if they are already doing it. And how are they going to do it if they are cutting university resources?

That is my point.
Without those foreign students (and input from national and international industries), there will not be enough money for university resources.
Spanish universities have to be centres of excellence where parents from all over the world want to invest in their children's further and higher education.

Originally Posted by Pesky Wesky

One of the problems of Spanish universities is that too many students are going. I don't mean that they are over subscribed just that too many people are getting degrees. The government is spending too much on giving university education and many young people are over qualified.

That's the same argument you hear in the UK.
Part of me agrees with this, as you could see this as a way to 'massage' unemployment figures by encouraging young people to join courses where their qualifications will mean little.
But the other part of me argues that further and higher education should always be invested in and encouraged, even in times of austerity. Because without well qualified young people (able to think and analyze for themselves), the future of the country will be in an even worse state.
You also say that too much money is being spent on giving university education, but also say that university resources are being cut. So I take it that you mean the government is encouraging young people to go to university, but not funding the universities accordingly?
Hence my suggestion about more funding from abroad and from national and international industry.

Originally Posted by Pesky Wesky

FP needs to be promoted as a valuable place of higher education and a wider variety of courses offered.

Agree absolutely.

Originally Posted by Pesky Wesky

But none of this solves the problem of unemployment as you say; it only works if there are positions to fill.
I think the education system needs to change completely, from primary to university and including teacher training, and no government is going to take that on right now.

Agreed. Sadly.

Originally Posted by Pesky Wesky

Tourism
I think it has already opened up other types of tourism and it's functioning well.
The south costas have to decide where they're going though, and I hope it's away from Saloufest and its like, but I fear not.....

Thanks for all the links.
I'll have a look at those later (and probably comment )

[Solwriter]

Originally Posted by Pesky Wesky

And continuing...

I agree with this post absolutely... apart from a couple of things.

Originally Posted by Pesky Wesky

Health Care
I'm not sure about other countries in Europe, but medical care in some areas in Spain could run rings around some places in the UK, but the cuts are here and more on the way...
I think you're right though, here is a "new" area where Spain could make its mark - you talk about Orthopaedics and Heart Surgery, and I have mentined donations (liver, kidneys, lungs etc) before.
Research is definitely on the decline here and many breakthroughs in recent years have been spearheaded by Spaniards who have left the country. So get more research funded here.

I agree, but I'm going to suggest something which may seem controversial to some....
In my experience, a major proportion of Spanish doctors, surgeons and researchers still working in Spain are unable to speak English. They also publish their findings only in Spanish. Now one could say 'why should they speak English? Surely they have enough to do, learning and undertaking research?'
But English is the international language of research in the areas in which Spanish health care excels.
When hospitals and research centres from all over the World are competing for funding for the next great health breakthroughs, well written research papers in English and communications in English might be more likely to gain the attention of those offering the funding.

Originally Posted by Pesky Wesky

IT
I think this is already happening. Young people are being trained in these areas. Telefónica has been invested in.

But nowhere near enough (or perhaps the money has gone to the wrong places?).
Telefónica infrastructure is still very poor. Based upon a very old network on cables and exchanges badly in need of changing, it can be nothing else.
I cannot speak for the major cities, where I guess that the service and infrastructure is good, but in rural areas and even largish towns, vast amounts of changes are required.
Nowadays Telefónica appears to employ poorly trained outside contractors to do 'patch and repair' jobs. Probably at more cost than employing their own workforce.
But that's a digression....

Originally Posted by Pesky Wesky

I believe Spain needs new industries, and/ or new ways to work with the old industries. Instead of the building industry for example why not specialise in the reconstruction industry to rebuild the old buildings in towns and villages that are also part of Spain's history. Become specialist in eco constructions would be another area for expansion. With technology expand on intelligent buildings. This way we are expanding on the building industry which already exists, and bringing it up to date with out building for the sake of it
The same that is happening to the tourist industry - expanding on something that already works and exists.

And then we need to take ideas from other countries and make them our own instead of letting them "invade the territory" A Spanish Mc Donalds, a Spanish Ikea, a Spanish Leroy Merlin. It could be done so easily, especially the Ikea. Where I am there is a whole area devoted to Pine wood furnishing made with local wood Montes de Valsaín - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre and I'm sure there are other areas. (If you go for it, count me in!)

And then we need NEW industries in areas that I don't even know exist.

So

• Build and expand on what the Spanish already know how to do well.
• Take other ideas and make them Spanish.
• Invest in the new

Excellent suggestions!

[mrypg9]

The first priority is for any Spanish Government to gain control over its own economic programme which it currently is not - like all other EU states it is at the mercy of the markets.
The second is to find money to finance the excellent schemes that have been suggested.
I do not think Spain will ever be able to compete in certain sectors of the IT industry which is not a monolith but has very very many specialities. India, the UK and the US are currently world leaders in many IT specialist fields, particularly in the financial sector.
If Spain is to have a silicon valley/fen of its own it must surely focus on renewable energy and green technology.
Spain's universities do not as yet have world ranking and prestige to attract foreign students. But that could change if centres of green technology excellence were developed around existing Faculties with some experience of R&D and also production engineering in these fields.
A point about UK universities: it's the quality of many University degrees that are being questioned. That and that fact that when everyone has a degree, the degree loses value. The fact that some Universities are having to offer basic literacy and numeracy courses to freshman students speaks volumes. Discerning employers are looking at the University that awarded the degree and not whether it's a First or whatever.
Tourism....it's a fickle industry. The kind of tourism that will earn Spain revenue isn't the mass-market budget family tourism or these 'all-inclusive' holidays that are now heavily promoted. Some companies have slashed prices by up to 60% on Spanish holidays...a race to the bottom does no good to anyone. Quality tourism focusing on 'niche' activities -walking , riding, golfing, art and architecture...these are the sectors that will bring in money.
But to embark on any job creation scheme Spain needs money and current yields will not permit the amount of borrowing needed to fund these schemes.

[mrypg9]

Originally Posted by Pesky Wesky

And continuing...





And then we need to take ideas from other countries and make them our own instead of letting them "invade the territory" A Spanish Mc Donalds, a Spanish Ikea, a Spanish Leroy Merlin. It could be done so easily, especially the Ikea. Where I am there is a whole area devoted to Pine wood furnishing made with local wood Montes de Valsaín - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre and I'm sure there are other areas. (If you go for it, count me in!)

And then we need NEW industries in areas that I don't even know exist.

[/LIST]

I don't think it could be done that easily. The brands you mention are global and extremely well-established.
It would take years and huge amounts of capital to be able to compete with these giants let alone knock the invaders completely out of the Spanish market.
Before anyone invests money in a venture of that kind a huge amount of markwet research is needed and I think the recommendation at the bottom of the page would be a resounding 'Not Feasible'.

[Solwriter]

Originally Posted by mrypg9

The fact that some Universities are having to offer basic literacy and numeracy courses to freshman students speaks volumes.

I used to teach at a well established 'Red Brick' university in the UK. The students there had acquired high results at A level in the subjects I taught.
Nevertheless, one of my roles as personal tutor was to help students with basic literacy. Many of these A grade students also attended GCSE maths courses in case they wanted to go on to take a PGCE.
It's not just a problem for Spanish universities.

[Solwriter]

Originally Posted by mrypg9

But to embark on any job creation scheme Spain needs money and current yields will not permit the amount of borrowing needed to fund these schemes.

You see, this is the problem which the new labour laws cannot solve. And one of the reasons why any new labour law will be attacked by large numbers of the general public.
It is also one of the reasons why my first post was a criticism without offering alternatives.
The best that any new labour law can do right now is chip away at the surface.

[mrypg9]

Originally Posted by Solwriter

You see, this is the problem which the new labour laws cannot solve. And one of the reasons why any new labour law will be attacked by large numbers of the general public.
It is also one of the reasons why my first post was a criticism without offering alternatives.
The best that any new labour law can do right now is chip away at the surface.

But because there is a larger obstacle to reform doesn't imply that nothing can opr should be done within those constraints.
The best a new set of labour laws can do nopw is enable some PYMES to take on more staff and others to let go staff they can't afford to keep.
Every person who gets a job through these measures is a happier person.
Rajoy alone can't change the prevailing economic free market philosophy. But he was elected and has a responsibility to do something however small in the global scale of things. If he had done nothing there would have been mighty uproar from the expected quarters.
Change is slowly beginning to come. You can see it in all sorts of small ways, especially in the UK. It is evolutionary not revolutionary and that is the best kind of change as it comes from ordinary people who have had enough.
Revolutions are top-down and rarely if ever reflect the will of anyone but a handful of dedicated revolutionaries.
The only exceptions I can think of are the revolutions which kicked out socialist totalitarian regimes in Eastern and Central Europe.
We can expedite the process by participating in the channels that matter, by putting forward an alternative model of a social market economy which puts social cohesion and people's needs before profit.

[Pesky Wesky]

Originally Posted by mrypg9

I don't think it could be done that easily. The brands you mention are global and extremely well-established.
It would take years and huge amounts of capital to be able to compete with these giants let alone knock the invaders completely out of the Spanish market.
Before anyone invests money in a venture of that kind a huge amount of markwet research is needed and I think the recommendation at the bottom of the page would be a resounding 'Not Feasible'.

But I never contemplated elbowing them out, just offering a homegrown version. I don't think it would be so difficult - if you were a tycoon with lots of dosh behind you. With the way things are going - the divide between the haves and have nots getting bigger there'll be more and more of those around.

[Pesky Wesky]

Originally Posted by Solwriter

I agree, but I'm going to suggest something which may seem controversial to some....
In my experience, a major proportion of Spanish doctors, surgeons and researchers still working in Spain are unable to speak English. They also publish their findings only in Spanish. Now one could say 'why should they speak English? Surely they have enough to do, learning and undertaking research?'
But English is the international language of research in the areas in which Spanish health care excels.
When hospitals and research centres from all over the World are competing for funding for the next great health breakthroughs, well written research papers in English and communications in English might be more likely to gain the attention of those offering the funding.

I don't think it's controversial at all. Plenty of other professions have found English to be an obligation, there's no reason why doctors shouldn't be proficient in English.

[Pesky Wesky]

Originally Posted by Solwriter

But the other part of me argues that further and higher education should always be invested in and encouraged, even in times of austerity. Because without well qualified young people (able to think and analyze for themselves), the future of the country will be in an even worse state.

I never thought I would say this, and I'm ready for you all to convince me I'm wrong. I've always believed in education, and in particular university education as a way to open your mind, to train and stretch your mind to appreciate different ways of thinking, analysing and reasoning, not merely as a way to get a job in a chosen area. In fact I think I've written to that effect here on the forum..

But perhaps that's for times of bonanza. When there's no money to heat some of the countries schools (Madrid, Valencia), perhaps the time for university education for all has passed. And I am sure that keeping young people in education is a way of keeping the unemployment figures down, but it's an expensive way

I'm also begining to think that a small charge for library books may be a good, temporary measure too...